Mimusops elengi

• Botanical name: Mimusops elengi

Common Name: Bakul

Distribution : All over India

Habitat   

•  Dry deciduous forests, moist deciduous forests

Habit

• Evergreen tree
• Medium sized but trees size differ distinctly depending on their origin
• Moderate growth rate

Ecology

• Mammals- squirrels, bats, macaques, civets feed on fruits
• Bees, birds and bats feed on nectar and pollen
• Larval host plant for Common crow butterfly, nectar plant for Dark Cerulean butterfly

Uses

• Fruits are edible, fruit pulp cures chronic dysentery
• Aromatic flowers are used in garlands, for decoration, in perfumery, as herbal tea and as remedy against diarrhoea, biliousness, liver complaints, nose diseases, headache, and their smoke is good in asthma treatment
• Leaves are analgesic and antipyretic
• Seeds treat constipation, fix loose teeth, cures nasal congestion and headache
• The root is aphrodisiac, diuretic, astringent to the bowels, strengthens gums
• Oil from seeds is used for cooking, is used to make paint
• The bark is used in treatment of diarrhoea, dysentery, gum inflammation, toothache, gonorrhoea, snakebites, fevers, wounds, skin problems- scabies, eczema etc
• leaves used to treat headache, toothache, wounds, sore eyes, and are smoked to cure infections of the nose and mouth
• Timber is used for flooring, bearings, doors, framing, poles, foundation sills, railway sleepers, paving blocks, mine timber, furniture, vehicle bodies, wheels, turnery, tool handles, walking sticks, weaving shuttles, toys, sporting goods, musical instruments. Good-quality veneer and plywood gets manufactured from its wood

Propagation

• Seeds